140801_RMPDSM.pdf

Idaho Public Utilities Commission
Case No. PAC-E-14-07, Order No. 33082
Contact: Gene Fadness [phone]

Rocky Mountain seeks prudency finding
for investment in efficiency programs
BOISE (August 1, 2014) – Rocky Mountain Power is asking the Idaho Public Utilities Commission
to determine that nearly $26 million of the company’s investments in demand-side
management (DSM) programs during 2010-13 were prudently incurred and benefitted
customers. This application does not impact rates.

DSM programs encourage customers to use less overall energy or shift use to off-peak hours,
thus reducing demand on Rocky Mountain’s generation system. Customers pay for the
programs through a rider that appears on customer bills as “Customer Efficiency Services.”

The rider is currently set at 2.1% of a customer’s monthly billed amount. Part of the Idaho
Public Utilities Commission’s prudency review is to determine if the programs benefit all
customers not just those who directly participate in the programs. If the programs are not
found to be cost-effective over time they are not continued.

Rocky Mountain Power claims the programs saved the utility 11,963 megawatt hours in 2010;
8,688 MWh in 2011; 11,420 MWh in 2012 and 18,324 MWh during 2013. That reduced
consumption reduces power supply expense for all customers and eliminates or delays the
need to build new generating facilities.

Three of the programs are available to residential customers. “Home Energy Saver” provides
products and services such as attic insulation and floor insulation, energy efficient windows, CFL
lighting and other services. “Refrigerator Recycling” offers customers rebates for removal and
recycling of inefficient refrigerators and freezers. “Low Income Weatherization” provides
energy efficiency services to residential customers meeting income guidelines.

Three other programs target commercial, industrial and agricultural customers. These include
“FinAnswer Express” to help commercial and industrial customers improve the efficiency of
their lighting, HVAC, electric motors, building envelopes and other equipment. “Energy
FinAnswer” is available to commercial and industrial customers in excess of 20,000 square-feet
and includes incentives for improvements to HVAC systems, motors, refrigeration, lighting and
other equipment. “Agricultural Energy Services” is designed to improve overall efficiency of
irrigation systems. A final program for qualifying volunteer irrigation customers offers financial
incentives if they irrigate during non-peak hours.

Rocky Mountain reports that five of the programs were cost-effective in all years, one during
two of the three years and another, Low Income Weatherization was not cost-effective during
the three-year period. The company says it has taken action to improve the cost-effectiveness
of that program.

Rocky Mountain Power, a division of PacifiCorp, serves 73,500 customers in eastern Idaho.

Parties who wish to intervene in this case to present evidence and cross-examine other parties
must file a Petition to Intervene with the commission by no later than Aug. 12. After that, the
commission will set comment deadline for all customers to comment.

Copies of the company’s application and other documents related to the case are found on the
commission’s Website at www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on “Open Cases” under the “Electric”
heading and scroll down to Case No. PAC-E-14-07.

###